Travel tips - long flight, changing time zones

Next month our family is taking a big trip. LO (little one) will be 7 months. I'm looking for any tips or advice about travel/flying with baby and especially changing time zones. We're going 7 hours back, so I don't think it's anything I can adjust beforehand. I'm hoping it just ends up being a day with a few extra naps and she adapts in a few days once we arrive. What about bringing food for LO (little one) for travel day? I'd love to hear your tips, advice and experiences!

Comments (16)

We just took a trip to Europe (baby is 6m) and she did so well! It was a 9 hour flight and 3 in car. We took our powdered formula and made sure that she was eating while taking off/landing. Time change was 6 hours back but honestly there is nothing to really prepare. We noticed her sleep pattern was a litttle messed up when we returned but that only lasted 2 days. Biggest advice is have the baby wear a pajama zip up onesie (it was super cold in the plane and easiest to change) and if you can, take a breastfeeding pillow to lay the baby on during sleep

You can take anything for baby that you need. If you need to take water for formula or something like that, they will likely test it by waving something over it but that’s it. You can take all sorts of food. I just flew with my 3 and 5 year olds and I had tons and tons of snacks.

We only went 3 hours away but it wasn’t too bad. I basically just fed her according to the time of where we were for the transition there and when we got back.

I took my car seat and stroller combo through the airport. While waiting on the plane, I took the car seat out and put it in a gate check bag and then put my baby in my carrier. I let them take the stroller and car seat at the gate. You have to take baby out of the carrier for take off and landing but it’s easier to walk to your seat with baby in there if you have one. I did it all by myself with my girls so I had to do whatever was easiest.

You can take anything for baby that you need. If you need to take water for f...

Posted
08/26/2018

You can take anything for baby that you need. If you need to take water for formula or something like that, they will likely test it by waving something over it but that’s it. You can take all sorts of food. I just flew with my 3 and 5 year olds and I had tons and tons of snacks.

We only went 3 hours away but it wasn’t too bad. I basically just fed her according to the time of where we were for the transition there and when we got back.

I took my car seat and stroller combo through the airport. While waiting on the plane, I took the car seat out and put it in a gate check bag and then put my baby in my carrier. I let them take the stroller and car seat at the gate. You have to take baby out of the carrier for take off and landing but it’s easier to walk to your seat with baby in there if you have one. I did it all by myself with my girls so I had to do whatever was easiest.

I know about what you can and can't take for baby on a flight. Would you recommend a carrier/sling or a compact stroller for moving around the airport? My DD (dear daughter) has not been in a sling since about 3months, so I feel like a stroller might be better for napping on the go. For the flight we have reserved a bassinet for her to sleep in.

About the food, I'm still breastfeeding, but she has also started solids and that's more what I was wondering about. So far I've been making my own purees at home. How would I bring those along? Any tips for how to store homemade baby food while traveling?

I know about what you can and can't take for baby on a flight. Would you ...

Last edited
08/26/2018

I know about what you can and can't take for baby on a flight. Would you recommend a carrier/sling or a compact stroller for moving around the airport? My DD has not been in a sling since about 3months, so I feel like a stroller might be better for napping on the go. For the flight we have reserved a bassinet for her to sleep in.

About the food, I'm still breastfeeding, but she has also started solids and that's more what I was wondering about. So far I've been making my own purees at home. How would I bring those along? Any tips for how to store homemade baby food while traveling?

I just Traveled with my little one and was so worried but. The easiest best thing was babywearing. And during the flight she just sat on my lap and played. And feeding take off and landing. I was Shocked how well she did. And always ask when you enter the plane where the changing station is normally it’s in only one bathroom on the flight.

Just did a 7 hour time change too. The jetlag is worse going east and not as ...

Posted
08/26/2018

Just did a 7 hour time change too. The jetlag is worse going east and not as bad going west.

Make sure to go out and expose to a lot of daylight right away to adjust circadian rhythm.
For us it took a week to be fully adjusted to the new time zone.

I just used a carrier around the airport.
Does your baby already want/need regular solids ? If not I would probably just skip them while travelling.

To be honest, I don't know if she wants or needs regular solids I guess that's something I'll talk to her doctor about. Since she's been having some once every day, I feel like she might miss the extra calories because I'm also a little bit worried about my milk supply. But it might all just be in my head.

We're heading west and will be there for 6 weeks, so plenty of time to adapt. East is always harder for me too. I'm still on the fence about baby wearing vs. stroller.

To be honest, I don't know if she wants or needs regular solids I guess ...

Posted
08/26/2018

To be honest, I don't know if she wants or needs regular solids I guess that's something I'll talk to her doctor about. Since she's been having some once every day, I feel like she might miss the extra calories because I'm also a little bit worried about my milk supply. But it might all just be in my head.

We're heading west and will be there for 6 weeks, so plenty of time to adapt. East is always harder for me too. I'm still on the fence about baby wearing vs. stroller.

We were away for 6 Weeks too. It was perfect. Yea I guess talk to the doc about it or just go ahead and take food if you feel like she needs it.

Do you need a stroller at your destination? Then I would take one but also bring the carrier in case baby gets cranky in the stroller. The carrier was also great to have on the plane. My little guy is so nosy and curious he had a hard time going to sleep with everything that went on around him (we had the bassinet seat too which was right by the bathroom so plenty of traffic there) so it was easier for him to fall asleep when I had him in the carrier

It is so light and it folds down small but it holds everything I need for a full day out. I can carry the baby in a carrier, the diaper bag over a shoulder and the stroller over the other shoulder. No sweat.

--

I am kind of weird. My advice probably won't work for you. You are the right kind of you. I'm the right kind of me.

I know about what you can and can't take for baby on a flight. Would you ...

Last edited
08/26/2018

I know about what you can and can't take for baby on a flight. Would you recommend a carrier/sling or a compact stroller for moving around the airport? My DD has not been in a sling since about 3months, so I feel like a stroller might be better for napping on the go. For the flight we have reserved a bassinet for her to sleep in.

About the food, I'm still breastfeeding, but she has also started solids and that's more what I was wondering about. So far I've been making my own purees at home. How would I bring those along? Any tips for how to store homemade baby food while traveling?

I would say either carry or do stroller based on what you and baby are comfortable with. Mine is ok with the carrier but it’s not her favorite thing. She isn’t in a stroller out of her car seat too much but she would probably enjoy it. Airport travel is crazy so going with what is comfortable is always a good plan.

I know making food is important for you but honestly for that day I would just buy some pouches. You could bring a cooler for some of your baby food if you want to but I don’t think anyone would blame you for going easy for travel days! 😊

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